The drama between James Harden and Daryl Morey simply continues to escalate.
Per The Athletic, Harden known as Morey a “liar” in reference to a promise made to the star guard that he would commerce him “rapidly” following Harden’s $35.6 million ($54 million AUD) opt-in for the 2023-24 season.
After Harden blasted Morey throughout a press occasion in China — calling the Sixers basic supervisor a liar and vowing to by no means return to certainly one of his groups — the NBA subsequently opened a probe to research the scenario, It resulted in Harden being fined $100,000.
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Harden, a 10-time All-Star, spent only one and a half years with the Sixers earlier than demanding a commerce this offseason, opting into his contract in an try and work out a deal that will ship him out of Philadelphia.
“When James Harden opted in, the choice to work collectively on a commerce, that stemmed from James Harden believing that there was no actual intention from the Sixers in giving him a long-term provide as a free agent,” Shams Charania stated in July.
“And so everybody across the Sixers, they know that he’s been extremely unnerved about how the workforce has dealt with his potential free company.”
However now, the Sixers have pivoted to an method wherein they count on to maintain Harden, Charania reported Monday.
Harden, the 2017-18 league MVP, has insisted to reporters that he believes there’s no path again to Philadelphia for him.
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He advised a Houston TV station that he thought it was “too late to restore his relationship” with the workforce, including, “I’ve been affected person all summer season…For me, it’s simply concentrate on what I can management and preparing for this season.”
Harden, who has additionally pressured his manner out of Houston and Brooklyn by way of commerce request, averaged a league-leading 10.7 assists alongside 2023 MVP Joel Embiid final season because the Sixers went 54-28 and had been eradicated within the convention semifinals.
The 76ers admittedly had a really excessive asking value to commerce Harden.
“If we don’t get both an excellent participant or one thing we will flip into an excellent participant, then we’re simply not going to do [the trade],” Morey advised The Fanatic in July. “If James had been to show his thoughts round, we’d all be thrilled. You’ve heard [Joel Embiid’s] feedback about that. However at this second, he prefers to be traded, and we try to honor that.”